Andy McNab

Immediate Action

Immediate Action He is one of the most highly decorated soldiers alive He is also the first to break the code of silence about the most elite fighting force in the world What Andy McNab has to say is so explosive that

Title: Immediate Action

Author: Andy McNab

ISBN: 9780440222453

Page: 478

Format: Paperback

He is one of the most highly decorated soldiers alive He is also the first to break the code of silence about the most elite fighting force in the world What Andy McNab has to say is so explosive that the British government tried to stop him.A street fighter, a hard case, and a flawless soldier, Andy McNab became one of the elite fighting men in the Regiment Britain He is one of the most highly decorated soldiers alive He is also the first to break the code of silence about the most elite fighting force in the world What Andy McNab has to say is so explosive that the British government tried to stop him.A street fighter, a hard case, and a flawless soldier, Andy McNab became one of the elite fighting men in the Regiment Britain s covert SAS His actions behind the lines in the Gulf War made him a hero But the full story of his life and his amazing career in Special Forces has remained a secretuntil now.In harrowing detail, McNab takes us inside the Regiment, chronicling nine years of covert operations on five continents Plunging us into a world of surveillance, counterintelligence, and hostage rescue, he takes us behind the scenes on some of their top secret missions For the first time, he reveals the shocking details of their training physically severe, mentally grueling, and sometimes deadly And he dares to expose some of their highly confidential codes and rules including the one that sanctions murder.This is the story of the fighting men of the SAS Here is how they live And here is how they die

About The Author

Andy McNab joined the infantry in 1976 as a boy soldier In 1984 he was badged as a member of 22 SAS Regiment He served in B Squadron 22 SAS for ten years and worked on both covert and overt special operations worldwide, including anti terrorist and anti drug operations in the Middle and Far East, South and Central America and Northern Ireland.Trained as a specialist in counter terrorism, prime target elimination, demolitions, weapons and tactics, covert surveillance and information gathering in hostile environments, and VIP protection, McNab worked on cooperative operations with police forces, prison services, anti drug forces and western backed guerrilla movements as well as on conventional special operations In Northern Ireland he spent two years working as an undercover operator with 14th Intelligence Group, going on to become an instructor.McNab also worked as an instructor on the SAS selection and training team and instructed foreign special forces in counter terrorism, hostage rescue and survival training.Andy McNab has written about his experiences in the SAS in two bestselling books, Bravo Two Zero 1993 and Immediate Action 1995 Bravo Two Zero is the highest selling war book of all time and has sold over 1.7 million copies in the UK To date it has been published in 17 countries and translated into 16 languages The CD spoken word version of Bravo Two Zero, narrated by McNab, sold over 60,000 copies and earned a silver disc The BBC s film of Bravo Two Zero, starring Sean Bean, was shown on primetime BBC 1 television in 1999 and released on DVD in 2000.Immediate Action, McNab s autobiography, spent 18 weeks at the top of the bestseller lists following the lifting on an ex parte injunction granted to the Ministry of Defence in September 1995 To date, Immediate Action has now sold over 1.4 million copies in the UK.McNab is the author of seven fast action thrillers, highly acclaimed for their authenticity and all Sunday Times bestsellers Published in 1997, Remote Control was hailed as the most authentic thriller ever written and has sold over half a million copies in the UK McNab s subsequent thrillers, Crisis Four, Firewall, Last Light , Liberation Day , Dark Winter , Deep Black and Aggressor have all gone on to sell equally well The central character in all the books is Nick Stone, a tough ex SAS operative working as a K on deniable operations for British Intelligence.McNab s fiction draws extensively on his experiences and knowledge of Special Forces soldiering He has been officially registered by Neilsen Bookscan as the bestselling British thriller writer of the last year.

619 Comment

I have always been fascinated by the various Special Forces. I had heard about Andy McNab's Bravo Two Zero and when I saw that this book is about his days in the SAS I decided to give it a try. Written in simple language and liberally interspersed with soldier’s lingo, this book chronicles his early days as a “juvenile delinquent”, his service as a “Green Jacket” in the infantry, his obsession with the Regiment (SAS) and what grueling tests and training people undergo for the privilege [...]

Special Forces ever since I came to understand them has been a source of fascination for me. The fact that a handful of soldiers could inflict deeper damage into ant enemy's heart than a conventional military force is nothing sort of a brilliant albeit successful idea. I had heard of McNab from the Bravo Two Zero legend (which interestingly i am yet to read) and Immediate Action was in fact called a stepping stone for B2Z. The book sketches the career of McNab from the time when he was a juvenil [...]

As realistic an account of real life pre his selection for the SAS as you're ever likely to get in an autobiography, every word making you realise the day to day existence of someone brought up in the 60s and 70s in Britain.The stories of selection make you exhausted just reading them and the missions are as non glamorous as you could possibly imagine. This is not the world of James Bond or John Wayne.I really enjoyed reading this, as you can probably tell, by the fact it only took three days to [...]

Loved it!!Although I was never in the Regiment, I did serve in the infantry around the same time as the author and as you would expect with a diminishing list of destinations at that time, served in almost all of the locations described in the book.I guess this was the main reason I found this book so compelling and identified with it so well.

Given the subject matter--an autobiography of an SAS soldier up to Desert Storm--you would expect one of two things: a) insightful commentary about the SAS, its methods, its role in the world, and it's interrelationship with Thatcherian policies, or b) a great escapist thriller with lots of action, whether interpersonal or military.Given the lurid cover Bantam/Dell gave the mass market edition ("The explosive true story" "The controversial book the British government tried to suppress!" "Dares t [...]

I find with Andy McNab’s books that on average I enjoy every other one. Unfortunately this wasn’t one of the books that I enjoyed. The last one I read by McNab prior to this was ‘Bravo Two Zero’ which I thought was fantastic. Although a lot of reader think that the authors writing style adds to the authenticity of his books, I don’t think it lends itself particularly well to this autobiography. I felt that some of the operations weren’t described in any detail, which is unusual for a [...]

This is a memoir that shows that even the author can find it difficult to find any redeeming features about themselves! This work by Andy McNab reveals, with brutal honesty, what an unpleasant, dishonest young person he was - the kind of youth we cross roads to avoid. More, he exhibits an egocentricity ruling his life for many years that many will find extremely unattractive. Indeed, apart from very rare hints of a better nature, it's not until the last moments of the book that he suggests that [...]

Published after Bravo Two Zero, in IMMEDIATE ACTION McNab takes us back to his early life. He starts, albeit briefly, with being raised by his adoptive parents after being found as a baby on the steps of Guy's Hospital.In McNab's very matter of fact style he relates how, as a juvenile delinquent, he decided he had a choice between jail and a nothing much of a life, and the Army. After fighting against the IRA in South Armagh McNab decides that the SAS is where he wants to be and he goes in for " [...]

Mr McNab could be an ideal neighbour. Some years among SAS troops, an autobiography. Who joins the Regiment (hungry orphans, angry young boys, white trash and eccentric or particular people); what the Regiment does (everything but flying planes or floating ships); when they need to be fit and ready for action: immediately; how heavy and tough their drill is (as tough as hell). Where: Brunei, Malaysia, Ulster, Oman, Belize, Botswana, UK, Beirut, Colombia, Iraqi desert. Unexpectedly, weaponry is n [...]

Good book, however I had to learn all new words to understand what he was talking about. I served in the armed forces, and the jargin is entirely different. When I began to read the book I was having to read paragraphs twice to understand what exactly was going on. The author did attempt to explain some of the terms, and how things relate to American English. One of the quotes on the exterior of the book said in essence that the government tried to suppress the release of this book. I kept looki [...]

Interesting topic lines but not necessarily the best writing. A lot of time spent in the minute details which if combined with a wider perspective, i.e. the politics of the events, may have added to the readers enjoyment. There was probably a fair amount of editing that occured as a result of the potentially sensitive material and I am sure that the author was writing with this possible sensorship in mind as well as the fact that he would not want to compromise past present and future regiments [...]

An impressive biography from a writer who - by his own admission - couldn't read or write particularly well until his adult years. McNab is an easy read, with a loose and informal style that means the pages turn quickly. McNab has led an interesting life and he relates the highlights (and lowlights) with characteristic honesty.

I know for a lot people Andy McNab is their initiation into the special forces world and therefore, there first love. And I respect that. He is not that for me. I will say his writing has a quick paced, adventurous style that mirrors his life and is impressive to read. But I do feel like there is something lacking. I just can't put my finger on it. It could be depth or introspection.

Lots of acronyms to go with the action in this book. I could have done without the intelligence officers being called 'slime' every time. Once for verisimilitude would have been enough. However I did enjoy it and found it amazing that so many men actually want to be in the SAS and put themselves in harm's way - with absolutely no voice in where they go or when.

Very descriptive analysis of the selection process and the counter terrorist methodology in eliminating opponents (very useful in mock trial criminal self-defense claims). Also has recollections from the British Special Air Service incursions, against the IRA, in Belfast.

I had read some really great reviews of Andy McNab books, but was really disappointed with this particular one. The paragraphs jumped ahead in the narrative so much that it was jarring and confusing.I gave up about 82 pages from the end. I'll try his other books next.

Interesting look at the making of a warrior and how he is used. Also a disturbing commentary on the choices of what others do with their training. Is it the rush, making a living, greed, wanderlust, death wish? Who can tell.

Super fast and funny narrative of an elite member of the royal british armyIn this book Mcnab shows the human face of soldiers and the personal problems that they have to be ready to face in order to have a military career. I only wonder if the cost worths it

James here again. Read this book to learn all about the secret world of the SAS the masters of CQB. Fun to read and amazing that people are alive to tell the tell. Jason Bourne is fiction. Andy McNab and his team of SAS guys are real.

First modern [non-WW2] book on SAS that I have read. Gripping tale of SAS operators and their actions worldwide. As it is always the case with this sort of history books do not expect that all secrets of the trade will be revealed.